What Is Reality?

[sensi_sid]

I decided to write down a train of rambling thought after smoking a bong of Durban Poison.

It mostly hangs together and gave me a laugh when I had finished. Here goes:

In the beginning there was the void; not void in the sense that it was non-existent but that it was

without structure. It existed as an energetic potential for creation.

Apparently guided by some set of "laws of nature" or mysterious super-being, the energy formed

patterns of positive and negative; light and dark; hot and cold; space and time. The degree of

complexity increased over time, resulting eventually in the appearance of a creature so intricately organised

that it could reflect upon those forces that gave rise to it.

If, on the other hand, the void had no underlying guiding principles then it would exist simply as an

infinite set of possibilities. An infinite number of potential creatures would inhabit this

potential universe, themselves creating potential structures and living potential lives. Some of

these would be unable to conceive of any more than a narrow band of possibilities in the potential.

Not realising that this was the case, they might believe that they were actual structures rather than

potential ones. They might even believe in God or Science or both. You might be one of these

creatures.

(Usual disclaimers apply: Not intended to offend or disrespect any member of any faith, belief, tribe,

culture, species, gender, supreme being or minority group. Do not try this at home.)

[Boojum]

Perhaps the title should be what is existence ?

Reality is a whole other kettle of haddock. Does reality actually exist, in terms of a reality independent ofhuman observation ? One of the oldest philosophical questions there is. If a tree falls in a forest when nobody is around to hear it, does it make a sound ? Is there such a thing as objective reality or is reality itself purely subjective. Is 'reality' really two things combined, individual subjective reality - the way YOU perceive existence, and consensual subjective reality, the way we tell each other that we experience the world ? Neither of those is objective, they are both dependent on the observer, and are the only realities we ACTUALLY experience. If something is outside of experience can it be said to actually exist ? It's a question that has driven far better, more intelligent people than me mad over the years. And quantum theory tends to support the greyness of the area, certain particles exist as potentialities until they are observed by humans, which far from answering the question in a concrete way "Yes there is a reality seperate from and outside human consciousness." merely suggests that it is by observing that reality is created. It's that fascinating point where physics becomes philosophy (just like in mathematics there is a point where the numbers run out and you are dealing with pure philosophy). As a sufferer of a severe mood disorder that can become mental illness at its extremes I know that what I perceive as reality is nothing of the sort, it's my brain's version of reality. Without that brain to create our perceptions can we really say that reality is, for want of a better word, real ? Or are we all (again for want of a better term) merely dreams in the mind of God ?

[Sitting Buddha]

10> A void exists to be filled, existence becomes one. A void will expand until it is full. New reality exists in creation. Time is the true reality, time is a void.

20> Go to 10>

Edited August 24, 2007 by Sitting Buddha

[Culchi]

This is probably the 3rd and final universe - nothing lasts forever - especially dope. We have no evidence to suggest that we are the only universe.

[Guest Dashboard Dice]

Perhaps the title should be what is existence ?

are we all (again for want of a better term) merely dreams in the mind of God ?

In which case! How bored is god to dream all this shit up?

Are we merely the soap of the eternally bored.

[Father McPot]

A favourite subject of mine, Reality, but I can only seem to ponder upon it when it comes naturally.

One the whole (existence) you cannot prove anything because you have nothing to compare it to, if you can look at it that way.

I find it difficult to put my ideas into words, as you can see

Also: This whole universe could be getting dreamed up by you right now. Every person you've met, every book you've read, every film you've watched...

Edited August 24, 2007 by Father McPot

[Sitting Buddha]

This is probably the 3rd and final universe - nothing lasts forever - especially dope. We have no evidence to suggest that we are the only universe.

Time lasts forever.

[Guest Dashboard Dice]

Time lasts forever.

In a forever, I’d think, time would be to abstract to exist.

[Boojum]

Maybe time doesn't exist at all, maybe it's only another part ofsubjective reality that we are imagining. Maybe all of time is a single moment, it'sjust the moment keeps changing.

[Sitting Buddha]

1+1=2 therefore time exists.

[Jay1911]

Time lasts forever.

how can anything last forever, if each second can be spilt into an infinite number of parts how can that one second ever pass as it has an infinite number of parts to get through, but it does pass, so does this prove that infinity does not exist ? and i fit does that means that every thing must end, even time ?

J

[Tasty]

1+1=2 therefore wha?

I think your reality is just a little bit timeless. I know what I mean even if you or I don't so there! :wink:

[Sitting Buddha]

how can anything last forever, if each second can be spilt into an infinite number of parts how can that one second ever pass as it has an infinite number of parts to get through, but it does pass, so does this prove that infinity does not exist ? and i fit does that means that every thing must end, even time ?

J

You can only split it once it's created. Time is expanding! Without time, there is no existence (in this dimension).

Edited August 24, 2007 by Sitting Buddha

[Culchi]

The filling of unforseesble space is expanding - time is up for debate. How much time does earth have left? Estimated at approx. 50 million years, give or take a few, the sun will eventually burn out, much like the rest of the energy in the universe, without enough power left in it to charge up another, if so then very short-lived. How much time do we really have left? I could walk out tomorrow and be hit by a London bus... baloon theory...

[Sitting Buddha]

How much time do we really have left?

To do what?